[Greek] παραλογίζομαι (paralogizomai), [Latin] decipere, [Latin] fallere, [German] ertappen: to miscalculate, to delude, to deceive, to reason falsely, to lead astray, to reckon wrong; Col.2:4, Jas.1:22
This is Luce, the Vatican’s official cringy anime mascot of the Holy Year 2025. One can only wonder if these Modernist efforts are unintentionally deluded and/or intentionally deceptive (gas-lighting) in their efforts. The younger people are finding deeper meaning in the Tradition Latin Mass. The Modernists, continually walking with the world, are deluded in thinking that this anime cartoon character will interest young people.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to defraud, to cheat, to reason falsely, and to mislead.
Isocrates’ Ad Filios Jasonis 6.12: “For they do not examine from all sides the real nature of the equation, but in many ways deceive themselves.”
Demosthenes’ Against Aphobus 1 41.30: “I have yet set forth to you all my charges, while my opponent evaded coming before those acquainted with the facts.”
Demosthenes’ Against Aphobus 1 27.29: “Is this is a trifling sum drawn, which might have easily been miscalculated?”
Socrates: “To believe without evidence and demonstration is an act of ignorance and folly.”
Aeschines’ Against Timarchus 1.117: “I fear that the man who professed to teach the young the tricks of speaking may mislead you by some artifice.
Old Testament: This term means to change, to come against, to transgress, to cover, to delude, to be betray, to carry, and to throw.
New Testament: This term means to delude and to deceive.
New Testament: This term means to delude and to deceive.
Scripture:
Col.2:4: “I say this so that no one may deceive you by specious arguments.” (Paul has concerns that the false teachers have been deceptive about Christ’s true nature in detracting from the person and work of Christ. They must reject religious teaching originating from sources outside the gospel. The Colossians are admonished to adhere to the gospel as it was first preached to them.)
Col.2:8: “See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.” (Paul is concerned that the Colossians are being influenced by false teachers who are emphasizing Christ’s relationship with the universe (cosmos). Paul calls the Colossians to reject religious teaching that do not come from the gospel. Paul warns others to reject human traditions.)
Jas.1:22: “Be doers of the Word and not hearers, only deluding yourselves.” (One must both hear and follow (do) the Word in order to be conformed to the gospel message. Intellectual faith is not enough. Actions are also needed.)
Hearers of the Word:
- This is a person who deludes himself.
- This is like a person who looks at his own face in a mirror and promptly forget what he looks like.
- The perfect law is the gospel (of Jesus) which brings freedom.
Doers of the Word:
- This person is one who peers in the perfect law of freedom and perseveres.
- This person is one who acts.
- This person shall be blessed in what he does.
Pope Pius X: “Modernism leads to atheism and to the annihilation of all religion.”
Guiding principles of Modernists thinking:
- Agnosticism: human reason is confined entirely within the field of phenomena (what is perceptible to human senses and reason).
- Vital Immanence: man finds within himself (sentiment, perceptions, and experiences) to find an explanation for God, religious, faith, and doctrine. External objective supernatural reality is excluded or diminished.
- Modernism is a synthesis of all heresies (cumulative embracing of human subjective views ultimately leading to [secularism] and atheism (further away from God.)
Modernists’ view of the Church in the world (adapting to the world and culture) ==> moving further away from God practical atheism:
- Pope John XXII invoked Vatican II based on the naive idea that “fresh air” must be brought into the Church.
- Pope Paul VI later acknowledged that the “smoke of Satan” has entered into the Church.
- Vatican II has resulted in: decreased vocations, increased sacrilege, decrease Catholic membership, closing churches, poor catechesis, watered down teachings, etc.
- Worldly, secular, evil, and Modernist influences has created a spiritual disaster and spiritual genocide. Modernist popes from Pope John XXII to Pope Francis has allowed this.
- Pope Francis states that he will continue Vatican II’s efforts to “reform and renew” the Church.
- The advocates of Vatican II has explicitly stated that the ecclesiology of the Church has changed. Essentially, Vatican II has created a new Church.
- It can be said that Vatican II had adopted some Protestant ideas.
- The Synod of Synodalities’ coordinators are seeking to decentralize church doctrine and church authority.
Modernists’ antipathy and opposition against Tradition: (adapting to the world and culture) ==> moving further away from God practical atheism:
- There will need to be a new paradigm shift in Catholic theology toward the LGBT community. A new situational morality is needed. (What a clever way to get around sin!)
- Share decision making authority between clergy and laity. (giving poorly catechized laity decision making authority? What could ever possibly go wrong with this??)
- Ignoring and diminishing the importance of Jesus’ command to sin no more (Jn.8:11): focusing on “mercy above all else”
- Synodal path: remaking Jesus’ Church in a synod Church (made in the image of man).
- There must be women deacons and possibly woman priests: women’s right have been disenfranchised because of the male Church Magisterium.
- Reform and renewal must be “slow-walked” in order for it to be accepted. Pope Francis criticizes the German Church not because of their heresy, but because they are moving too fast.
- Conveniently calling upon the “holy spirit of surprises” to justify ratifying controversial teachings, doctrine, and behavior. (The Holy Spirit cannot affirm sin!)
- The Tradition Latin Mass (TLM) is now perceived as divisive as it competes the Novus Order Mass and new Church ecclesiology.
- Despite of the un-convenient reality that traditional Catholics (“Trads”) and interest in the Traditional Latin Mass are thriving, the Modernist agenda must continue in the Church.
- Modernist delusional and circular thinking: “Reform and renewal for the Church” ==> creates new problems ==> “More reform and renewal for the Church” ==> rinse, repeat, etc.
- Cardinal Cupic believes that the Traditional Latin Mass impoverishes the church (while the Traditional Latin Masses attendance (where allowed) is flourishing and Novus Order Masses attendance is dwindling.
Paralogism: A piece of illogical or fallacious reasoning, especially one which appears superficially logical or which the reasoner believes to be logical. This is related to the Greek paralogos, meaning unreasonable.
Etymology: The Greek verb paralogizomai essentially means to reason (-logizomai) alongsude (para-). The Latin verb decipere is derived from the Latin verb capere, meaning to capture. When one is faced with deception (obstruction, subterfuge, treachery, or deceit), one does not know he is dealing with. The erroneous information presented becomes falsum (deceit). One must “fall” or “be brought to a fall” for what is presented to him. Therefore, he falls down or fell for it. The German verb ertrappen in itself is very telling.
Conclusion:
Deceive, deception, deceptive, fall, paralogism, trap
Demosthenes points out that those who do not face the facts themselves mistakenly think they can persuade others. Isocrates points that some can easily deceive themselves, being close-minded and being unable to see the problem from other sides. Plato states in practical terms what it means to act foolishly and recklessly.
In the Old Testament, this term conveys the sense of going against, covering, and throwing. Perhaps this develops the notion of casting doubt and covering up.
In the New Testament, Paul warns that the false teachers in Colossae are creating false narratives about Jesus’ true nature. James states one must be hearers and doers of the gospel. To do otherwise, you are deluding yourself.
These scriptures allude to the notion of doing anything one wants. The “freedom” to do something (sinful) may in fact become another form of slavery (or addiction) to sin. This becomes another form of self-deception. In contrast, doing God’s will (in being controlled by God) gives you freedom!!!! [#MindBlown, #GodIsInControl] ☺☺☺
Update: The Modernists are seeking to remake Jesus’ Church in a Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
Unfortunately, many cardinals, bishops, and priests are remaining cowardly and silent in speaking out against heresies, sin, and evil. They will have to answer for themselves at the judgment.
It is very evident that the Modernists’ ideology is more important than actual efforts to grow and truly renew the Church.
Pope Francis’ papacy has been consistently identified with liturgical confusion (chaos), scandal, heresies, and evil.
Many heresies in the Church and world from Modernism.
Archbishop Fisichella states that this mascot was inspired by the Church’s desire “to live within the pop culture so beloved by the youth”.
The Vatican makes these efforts in response to the young people being drawn to Tradition. The young people are finding deeper meaning in Tradition. The Modernists really have no answer to this movement.
The Modernists continually seek to adapt the Church to the world. Yet, they wonder why the Church remains in trouble. Modernists cannot and will not recognize that Jesus’ Church is timeless.
Jesus’ Church will only succeed when it gets back to Tradition and its timeless doctrine.
We all can relate when we delude ourselves when: “People hate the truth for the sake of whatever it is that they love more than the truth. They love truth when it shines warmly on them, and hate it when it rebukes them.” St. Augustine.